Catfight, Gene Rodenberry-Style

After `Star Trek,' He Couldn't Even

Sell a Girl Fight!

Today he's revered as the father of one of Hollywood's most beloved franchises, a far-seeing futurist who conceived of personal computers, cellphones and iPads decades before they became reality.

Yet after the cancelation of the original "Star Trek," Gene Rodenberry had a tough time selling his projects.

Among his numerous pilots was "Planet Earth," the unimaginative title to a show about a troop of Starfleet-like folks trying to bring peace to a post-apocalyptic Earth. Though it was never picked up as a series, it had promise.

It stars John Saxon as a 20th-century man who awakes from suspended animation in the 22nd century. There he joins up with PAX, and gets a Star Fleet-like jumper. Also starring is Ted Cassidy, the 6-foot-9 actor best know for his role as Lurch on "The Addams Family" TV show.

Our focus is on Janet Margolin, who plays Harper-Smythe. A lovely woman with thick, lustrous black hair, Margolin starred in the acclaimed films "David and Lisa" and "Take the Money and Run," an early Woody Allen comedy.

​Here, Harper-Smythe and crew find themselves in a community called the Confederacy of Ruth, where women rule and men are enslaved (and drugged to remain submissive). Things go wrong when the commander, Dylan Hunt, is captured and claimed as property by Marg, played by the lovely Diana Muldur, a Roddenberry favorite.

Harper-Smythe is counseled by Marg's rival Treece, who says the only way to get her commander back is to fight Marg for him.

Harper-Smythe offers the challenge, and Marg agrees to fight!

The two women go at it outdoors, in front of a community gathering. It's a nice set-up and terrific fight.

There's no hair pulling, we are sad to report, though there were plenty of chances for it to be employed. Although Janet's hair is cut into a pixie, it's still thick and full on top, ripe for pulling.

Diana's hair is tied up in some elaborate bun -- very disappointing to see. Still, it could have been effectively yanked.

What a waste of Janet's and Diana's shining locks! We'll helpfully point out where the hair-pull should have been used.

Hair pulling or not, we're grateful that Rodenberry saw fit to include the catfight. And we wonder how many more tussles Harper-Smythe might have engaaged in had the show been picked up...

Ah, what could have been. Enjoy!

Janet

Margolin

vs.

Diana

Muldur

Amazons Battle for a Dink

Harper-Smythe and Treece ride up the marketplace, where Marg is selling Hunt. "That's my dink!" Harper-Smythe annnounces. "I claim him." Then she challenges Marg to fight for the man-slave.

`I choose...

`to fight!'

Marg accepts the challenge, and Harper-Smythe dismounts in style.

Battle Is Joined!

Marg eyes her opponent, and when Harper-Smythe's back is turned, she attacks!

Marg Goes to Work

As a gray-haired auntie looks on, Marg pulls Harper-Smythe up to her feet. Now this is a perfect spot for a hair-pull -- Marg should sink her left hand into Harper-Smythe lustrous locks and yank, in the classic ladies-wrestling-style. A missed opportunity.

Marg hauls Haper-Smythe up, and lands a solid right-hand punch!

And down goes Haper-Smythe again.

`The Beatings Will Continue...'

Marg again pulls Harper-Smythe to her feet, ignoring an ideal hair-pulling chance.